High life in Denver? NBA, Heat say no

November 14, 2012|By Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel

LOS ANGELES — For now, "mile high" in the NBA has only one meaning, the thin air the Miami Heat will have to deal with Thursday night against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center on the second night of back-to-back games.

But by the will of the voters of Colorado, that soon will change. The question is whether that means it also will change for the NBA.

The league's answer is an emphatic no.

Last week, voters in Colorado and Washington state approved legalized recreational use of marijuana. Because there currently is no team in Seattle, the Washington law is a backburner issue for the NBA.

But when it comes to Denver, the NBA has gotten in front of the issue, citing that its collective-bargaining agreement with its players supersedes such local allowances.

"It will not affect how marijuana is treated under our program," a league spokesman confirmed to the Sun Sentinel. "It will remain a prohibited substance per our CBA."

Heat forward James Jones, an officer with the National Basketball Players Association, agreed Wednesday with the NBA stance.

"The rules that we negotiated in the CBA are the rules that we will abide by," Jones said before facing the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. "So as it stands right now, players won't have an issue. They'll just continue to adhere to the rules and policies that are in place. And if it becomes an issue, it definitely won't be from the players.

"I think, at the end of the day, the guys understand the reason behind [the NBA rule]. It's to hold a standard and make sure our game is held in high esteem. So, I don't expect that our players would even make it an issue, especially when it doesn't have to be one."

Colorado's Amendment 64 passed last week with nearly 55 percent of the vote, in a state that already had allowed medicinal marijuana. The amendment allows those 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow up to six plants in their homes, as well as sales at regulated stores. The regulations are not expected to be in place for at least a month, with regulations allowing operation of such stores not expected until 2014.

The Heat have had their marijuana issues over the years, from Michael Beasley's well-chronicled incidents that led to an in-patient program to former guard Rodney Buford being caught with the substance in his sock during a customs check in Toronto to forward Udonis Haslem having his car seized in Miami-Dade when marijuana was found, a case where the charges eventually were dropped.

Haslem said he does not believe the change in Colorado will be an issue with NBA players.

"Not at all, not at all," he said. "The rule is the rule. We have our four random tests. You have to pass your tests. And there's no gray area. There's not 'if, and or buts' about it."

Under the NBA's marijuana program, the league conducts both random and reasonable-cause testing. A first violation mandates entrance into a treatment program, a second violation is a $25,000 fine, with a third violation mandating a five-game suspension, with a five-game suspension as well for any further violation. Also the policy reads, "a player will be dismissed and disqualified from the NBA if he is convicted of, or pleads guilty, no contest or nolo contendre to, a crime involving the felony distribution of marijuana."

The NBA has not issued a statement that specifically addresses the change in Colorado.